Extensible car-step.



G. W. SEITZ.

EXTENSIBLE GAR STEP.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.15, 1914.

L129,%8. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l R i-mmm V w MM,

'IUME NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTD-LITHO G. W. SEITZ. EXTENSIBLE GAR STEP.

- APPLICATION FILED APR.15, 1914.

LIQQ Q38, Patented Feb.23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

J4 .17 P7 4 5 9 p4 7: msam PETERS co PHOTD-LITHO.. WASHINumn. o. C.

GHARL ES SEITZ, 0F VJAIJLAGE,

EXTENSIIBLE CAR-STEP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 1 1270.23, 1915;.

Application iiled April 15, 1914.. Serial N0. 'e'ca'osa Taall whom itmai "c'onccrn Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. Snrrz, citizen of theUnited States, residing at Wallace, in the 'count'yof Wallace and Stateof Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inExtensible Car- Steps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an extensible car step for railway cars or thelike, said step being adapted to fold out of the way when the car is inmotion and to be let down into position for use when the car is at astop.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangementof the various parts hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whereinwFigure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of theinvention, the extensible step being shown inextended position; Fig. 2is a side elevation of the device as illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is afront elevation; Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 2, the extensiblestep being folded; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional viewillustrating the manner in which the step is locked immovable whenfolded.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews inthe drawings.

Proceeding now with the detail description, 1 designates the platform ofan ordinary railway car or coach, the said platform having the usualsteps 2 leading therefrom. The auxiliary or extensible step designated 3is normally held folded beneath the lowermost step of the stationary carsteps 2 through the medium of links 4: pivoted to angle irons 5 asindicated at 5 and to brackets 7 as indicated at 8, the said bracketsbeing rigid with the lowermost of the said car steps 2. The angle irons5, as is apparent upon reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, in theextended position of the step 3, are of a length sufficient to extendbeneath the lowermost of the car steps 2, the said extended portionsbeing braced as indicated at 6. Pivoted as at 7 to each angle iron 5 isa suitable link 9, the latter being pivoted at its opposite end as at 10to a second link-11 rigid with a rod 12 journaled within brackets 13suspended from the sides of the car steps 2 as shown. The said rod, atone end, as indicated at 14: is bent at a right angle, the free end ofthe bent portion being pivoted as at 15 to an operating lever 16extending verticall'y at one side of the car step 2 and through a keeper17 rigid with the said step. A lug or pin 18 is rigid with the keeper 17which lug, in the extended position of the extensible step, is alinedwith an opening 19 of the lever 16, the latter being forced, by means ofa leaf spring 20 and as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 5, against thekeeper 17 causing the lug 18 to fit the said opening whereby to lock thelever immovable and the step 3 extended. A suitable handle 21 may beprovided for the said lever.

In operation, when it is desired that the auxiliary step be swung ormoved from the position indicated in Fig. 4: to the position indicatedin Fig. 2, the lever 16 is grasped by the handle 21. forced downwardlyunti l the opening 19 is alined with the lug 18, in which event, spring20 will cause said lug to fit said opening and lock the lever immovable.As the lever 16 is forced downwardly, rod 12 is partially rotated,causing links 11 to IIIOWB forwardly and to inturn move links 9 attachedto the auxiliary step. The forward movement of the links 9 will lowerand extend the auxiliary step, which, when in final position. is soarranged relatively to the lowermost of the car steps 2 as to assume theposition indicated in Fig. 2, the links 4 being parallel and in avertical position to eifectually support the said auxiliary stepimmovable. To raise or fold the said auxiliary step, a reverse operationof lever 16 should be executed.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsit is apparent that the links 9 and 11, in the extended position of thestep, are alined while the operating lever 16 is held immovable byreason of the engagement of the lug 18 therewith; that if desired, theoperating lever may be extended to be conveniently operated by a personstanding upon the car steps 2; and that the links 9 and 11 by reason oftheir relative disposition in the extended position of the step serve asa means whereby the said step cannot be projected forwardly a greaterdistance than is desired.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention,illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, asthe preferred embodiment is the most eflicient and practical; yetrealizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my devicewill necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minorchanges in details of construction, proportion and arrangement ofpartsmay be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of theadvantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thusfully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the stationary steps of a car, an auxiliary step,means connecting the lowermost of the said 'steps and the said auxiliarystep, an operating lever, guide means for said lever, the said leverhaving an opening formed therein, means operable through movement of andconnected to the lever for moving the said auxiliary step relatively tothe stationary steps, and a lug rigid with the guide means and adaptedfor engagement with the opening in the lever to serve as a locking meansto maintain the auxiliary step in its normal folded position, as and forthe purpose set forth. 7

2. In combination with the stationary steps of a car, an auxiliary carstep, support means for the said auxiliary step, said support meansprojecting rearwardly of said steps, links pivoted to the stationary carsteps and to the projected portion of the said support means, a rod,means connecting the said rod with the said support means of the step,aright angled extension at one end of the said rod, an operating leverpivoted to said extension, a bracket rigid with the car step throughwhich the operating lever extends, means operating within the bracket tolock the said lever immovable in the fold ed position of the auxiliarystep, movement of said lever, when unlocked adapted to project the saidauxiliary step forwardly and downwardly relatively to the lowermost ofthe said stationary steps, as and for the purpose set forth.

In combination with the stationary steps of a car, an auxiliary carstep, means operable to move said auxiliary step relatively to thelowermost of said stationary steps, an operating. lever actuatable tocontrol movement of said operating means, means upon said stationarysteps serving as a guide for said operating lever, said operating leverhaving an opening formed therein, a lug upon said lastmentioned meansfitting said opening in the folded position of the said auxiliary stepto lock the said lever immovable, said lever when unlocked being movableto project said auxiliary step forwardly and downwardly relatively tothe lowermost of the said stationary steps, as and for the purpose setforth.

4. I11 combination with the stationary steps of a car, an auxiliary carstep, links pivoted at one end to the lowermost of the stationary stepsand at their opposite end to the said auxiliary step, said links servingas a support for the said auxiliary step, a rod, a right angledextension at one end of said rod, means connecting said rod with saidauxiliary step to move the latter upon actuation of said rod, anoperating lever pivoted to the free end of said right angled extension,a keeper rigid with the stationary steps through which the saidoperating lever extends, said operating lever having an opening formedtherein, a .lug upon said keeper engageable with the said opening tolock the said lever immovable in one position of the step, spring meansengageable with said lever to maintain the latter in engagement withsaid keeper, a movement of said lever when unlocked adapted to actuatesaid rod and move said auxiliary step relatively to the lowermost of thestationary car steps, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. SEITZ. WVitnesses:

JAMES H. BARRETT, PIERRE V. CREEVAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, I). C.

